To bolster market access opportunities for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the North West, the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation, and Tourism (DEDECT) has taken a significant step forward.
DEDECT recently extended its support to seven emerging SMMEs in the beauty industry, providing them a platform to shine at the Professional Beauty Johannesburg Expo. This event occurred at the Gallagher Convention Centre from September 3 to 4.
The Professional Beauty Johannesburg Expo, a flagship trade and exhibition platform, has carved out a niche as a pivotal event for both established corporates and budding small businesses. It serves as an invaluable stage for showcasing the latest innovations in skincare, aesthetic devices, nails, makeup, hair care, and more.
The event attracted a diverse audience, including local and international buyers eager to delve into the dynamic beauty industry. DEDECT's support extended to a diverse group of SMMEs, each hailing from various districts within the North West Province. The department's Access to Market Programme was pivotal in empowering these enterprises.
The selected SMMEs that received this opportunity were: My Crown ZA, Nelson M. Hair Care, Your Highness Hair Products, Nompumelelo Nails, Fosista, Beige Butterfly Hair and Skincare, and Kopano Hlanganiswa Malebadi. DEDECT's mission, through this initiative, is to catalyze economic growth by nurturing an enabling environment for the sustainable development and expansion of SMMEs.
The market exposure opportunities created by the department are designed to stimulate economic growth, foster job creation, and empower individuals by fortifying SMMEs and cooperatives. Furthermore, the expo provided a valuable platform for SMMEs in the beauty industry to sharpen their business acumen and performance.
Business Seminars hosted during the event offeref priceless insights into various aspects of business manage- ment explicitly tailored to beauty and hair salon owners. These seminars, led by esteemed academics and industry experts, encompassed a variety of crucial topics. T
hese included devising effective salon marketing strategies that don't solely rely on social media, ensuring that salon staff align with customer needs, maintaining positive energy during treatments, leveraging both online and offline marketing strategies, understanding the significance of professional training in the industry, managing finances, including debt management, accounting, and payroll, recognising and capitalising on opportunities to diversify revenue streams, grasping the requisites of becoming a beauty industry entrepreneur, and evaluating the merits of investing in salon technologies.
One of the exhibitors, Orapeleng Moanakwena from Your Highness Hair Products, lauded the expo as a unique opportunity to showcase products and services directly to decision-makers. "It also offered us a platform to connect with like-minded individuals to exchange ideas and experiences on navigating the intricacies of the beauty industry," said Orapeleng.
The Professional Beauty Expo was not only an amazing experience but the opportunities there were exactly what I needed. Another attendee, Palesa Diale of Beige Butterfly Hair and Skincare says Interacting with female business owners was her highlight.
“Established contacts and some even offered advice and words of encouragement. I really appreciate the invite and I couldn't be more excited to connect with the people I met, the export opportunities, the reseller opportunities, all of it was very encouraging and really showed me that I am on the right path and that I have a great product line. I will take full advantage of the experience and make sure I build on the connections going forward,” said Palesa.
